Chapter 1

The day my biological parents brought me back to the Hawthorne family, I had just turned down the campus beauty’s ninety-ninth confession of love. Rose petals still covered my shoulders.

My biological mother looked me up and down with disgust.

“Now that you’re back where you belong, put an end to your womanizing and learn to behave.”

The fake heir, who had been playing the victim since I walked through the door, suddenly leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“You’d better behave yourself. Don’t even dream of fighting me for the Hawthorne inheritance.”

“Just because you’re a guy doesn’t mean I’m afraid of you.”

I froze.

Wait. Who told you people I was a guy?

I was the best female cadet at the police academy!

“You’ve got this wrong!”

I pushed Ethan Hawthorne away and was about to explain that I was a woman, but he dropped to the floor and refused to get up.

Seeing Ethan fall, Mrs. Hawthorne rushed over to help him.

His eyes filled with tears as he looked at me timidly.

“Avery, I know you hate me for taking your place all these years. If this makes you feel better, I don’t mind.”

“That’s not—”

Before I could finish, Mrs. Hawthorne slapped me across the face.

Her face was flushed, but her eyes were ice-cold.

“Ethan will always be my favorite son. Don’t get any ideas. Consider this your first warning.”

My cheek burned. No one had ever hit me before.

My adoptive parents had always treated me well. They had never laid a hand on me.

Besides, I was tall and quick on my feet. When someone picked on me, I was usually the one doing the hitting.

Stunned, I stood there and watched Ethan sob in Mrs. Hawthorne’s arms.

“I’m not Ethan’s brother…”

After thinking it over, I decided I should clear things up.

I did look androgynous. Even my voice could pass for a man’s or a woman’s.

My lack of obvious feminine features had caused plenty of misunderstandings over the years. I didn’t want another one.

But before I could finish, Mrs. Hawthorne interrupted me again.

She gave me a disdainful glance and said flatly,

“I wish you weren’t my child either. But what can we do now? What a curse.”

Seeing how little she cared about me, I gave a small smile.

Fine. We might as well end this farce right here.

I hadn’t wanted to leave my adoptive parents anyway.

I had only agreed to come because my adoptive mother encouraged me to face my past.

Who knew so much would happen the moment I arrived?

I had barely turned around when Ethan sprang out of Mrs. Hawthorne’s arms and ran toward me.

He clung to my left arm, his eyes brimming with tears.

“Don’t go, Avery. I’m the one who should leave.”

His whining was getting on my nerves.

I swung my arm and shook him off again.

Ethan landed hard on the floor, somehow bruising his forehead in the process.

Mrs. Hawthorne ordered the bodyguards to hold me down, then stood beside me with a sneer.

“Do you think you can come and go from the Hawthorne house whenever you please?”

“You’re part of this family now. I’ll teach you some discipline before you embarrass me in public.”

Several servants marched me all the way to the cleaning supply room.

Mrs. Hawthorne stood behind me and sneered.

“You can sleep here. You don’t deserve anything better.”

Then she left with Ethan.

The supply room was cold and damp. It was no place to sleep.

And I wasn’t the type to put up with that.

Without another word, I picked up my luggage and headed upstairs.

If she wouldn’t give me a decent room, I’d choose one myself.

The first bedroom I passed was spacious. I set down my suitcase and nodded in satisfaction.

This would do for tonight.

But before I could finish unpacking, someone kicked the door open.